Week of June 27th

UAI Staff News

Volume IX

Issue 36

June 27th, 2022

Sending them off into the future.  In the last week and a half we bid good luck and goodbye to our 8th and 12th graders moving on to new schools and new chapters in their lives.  Theses with the 10th annual (for high school) and 14th annual (for 8th grade) stepping up and graduation ceremonies.   Over the years, these have been ceremonies filled to the brim with celebration and hope.

I want to thank Kelly & Kristina for stepping up to provide our 8th graders and seniors with so many wonderful memories and celebrations over the years.  In particular, these last couple of years have been incredibly challenging backdrops in which to build joy and pride.  Nevertheless, they did it, and they did it incredibly well!!

Despite their incredible work, in these last few years, these celebrations have been somewhat shrouded in the uncertainty and terribleness in the world into which our students proceeded.  The pandemic and then the reality of persistent racism, sexism, and gender bias all in the backdrop of a climate crisis created an intimidating world for our young folks.  Still they persisted - they found their voices, organized their peers, and still continued to fight for what was right while still finding their joy and love in life.

This past week, our country's democracy and protection for the rights for all crumbled as once again, many women, particularly those who are poor and who are black & brown, were thrown back 50 years, as Roe v. Wade fell and decades of advocacy and work to preserve equal protections for women and their health choices was eradicated in a written decision.  If we can live in a world where a government elected by the minority can replace justice with politically aligned justices, then our country's democracy is, in fact, broken.   Roe was the first.  There will inevitably be many more rights lost in the days to come - including Marriage Equality and Maranda protections.

There is no doubt that things are terrible and may be so for some time.

For me, that only underscores the importance of our work.  The better we get at preparing our young people to look critically at the world around them and to lean into being the voice that demands change and being the leader that brings that change about - the more we are able to cultivate hope and light once more.

Our students our students are the best hope we have for a better world.  In them I see future Attorney Generals who demand justice from corrupt politicians.  I see future activists organizing support efforts for women across state borders.  I see future politicians who are brave enough and smart enough to write into our constitution a real set of laws that are not subject to the influence of politics and will, for once and for all, guarantee and protect the rights, health, and safety for all individuals.

Today, I turn the page on the end of a very hard chapter (well, let's face - series of chapters), and while I know the next few will not be any easier (and may in fact be more challenging than what we've already experienced), I am excited nonetheless.  There is no end to the potential and excitement of working with our future, and I am lucky to do so with their families, and the best set of staff that our kids could ever have!  

For those of you who are moving on to new schools/roles - I am excited that you will be our future partners in this work.  It will definitely take much more than our little school to make change real.  Good luck to you on your paths, and solidarity in the work with you!

For now, I honor the work we have all done together, and encourage all of us to take the time we need to rest, recharge, and fuel up on our own joy.  We all have a great weight to bare as we move forward in our work in the fall.  But it is work that brings joy and fulfillment and makes every bit of hard work worthwhile!

 

Important dates. 

• Monday, 27JUN.  Last Day of School
• Teachers report to advisory classrooms to distribute report cards
• See Below for Schedule & Tasks

• Tuesday, 28JUN.  Last Day of School for Staff
• Staff Remote Work Day
• Zoom Link and Agenda Below

• Tuesday, 05JUL.  Girls Inc Summer Camp Begins
• Open to all UAI Rising 5th-current 8th graders. 
• 8:30AM-3:30 PM, Mondays thru Thursdays
• Dates:  July 5th through July 28th
• Direct questions to Wilma:  wharris@girlsincnyc.org

• Monday, 11JUL.  UAI Summer Splash Begins
• Open to all UAI Rising 8th-current 12th graders
• Summer Arts with Rebecca (ceramics), Freida (art), Judy (STEAM)
• Summer School Credit Recovery with Jenetta
• 10AM-1PM, Mondays thru Thursdays
• Dates:  July 11th through 28th
• Direct questions to Kelly:  kellyp@uainstitute.org
• Note:  We are not offering regents exams this summer.  Student who want to retake regents exams will have a chance to do so in January.  The Special Appeals rule is in place through August 2023 for students scoring at least a 50 on any exam.

• Tuesday, 30AUG-Thursday, 01SEP.  Classroom Set Up & Co-Planning Time
• As in years past, all staff are invited to return to UAI to begin preparations for classroom setup, co-planning with co-teachers and team members, and getting ready for the 2022-23 school yea

• Tuesday, 06SEP.  First Day of School for Staff

• Thursday, 08SEP.  First Day of School for Students

Announcements & To Dos

Last Day of the Year.  In typical fashion (at least before COVID), our last day of school for students will be simply for pick up of final report cards, cleaning out of lockers, and saying goodbye for the summer.  

• Students must report by 10AM to pick up report cards from advisors.  We have a number of folks out tomorrow (having taken personal/vacation days), so we'll need to double/triple up advisories:

• Middle School (6th/7th)
• B49 - all 6th grade Advisories: Phillan, Sarah R (out), Jennifer (out)
• B45 - 7th Grade Advisories:  Alison, Nica, Jake (out)
• B43 - 7th Grade Advisories:  Sarah M 
• B57 - 7th Grade Advisory:  Matthew
• 8th-12th Grade Advisories
• 303 - 8th Grade Advisories:  Kristina, Aisha, Laura (out)
• 307 - 8th Grade Advisories:  Marni, Martine, Jelissa
• 405 - 9th Grade Advisories:  Christina, Jamie, Shana (out)
• 311 - 9th Grade Advisories:  Brodie, Nakita (out), Juelle (out)
• 309 - 9th Grade Advisories:  Cassandra, Tiffany
• 515 - 10th Grade Advisories:  Claire, Rebecca (out)
• 403 - 10th Grade Advisories:  Nina, Danielle R, Marsha (out)
• 407 - 10th/12th Grade Advisories:  Leonela, Jenetta, Elena (out)
• 415 - 10th/11th Grade Advisories:  Liza, Judy (out), Jean (out), Tom (out)
• 511 - 11th Grade Advisories:  Cherry, Olympia, Damon (out)
• 305 - 12th Grade Advisories:  Joey, Kelly, Danielle I

• Students should remain with advisors through 10:20, and then are released for lunch and then the day.  Students who have open lunch do not have to return and should have a wonderful summer!
  
  
• Teachers should return report cards to Ms. Aisha.  We will email report cards over the summer for those that were not picked up by students.
  
  
• FYI for students:  All lockers will be clipped and cleaned out this summer.  Items will not be kept, and any items found in lockers will be considered abandoned and put into the trash/recycling/donation pool.

• All staff must complete the EOY checklist.  Please make sure there is NOTHING stored on the floors in your classrooms, including the closets.  Please make sure everything is removed from the walls- including the hallways.   

• All final gradebooks must be uploaded unto this FOLDER before you leave for the school year.  Please download your Skedula Gradebooks and upload them into the folder.

• All final per session sheets and time cards must be turned in before you leave for the summer.  NO LATE per session sheets will be processed as this year's budget closes and finalizes on 30JUN.

Last Meeting of the Year.  The official last day of school for staff is Tuesday, 28JUN.  We will have a remote day that day.  

• Agenda 8:30-9:30
• 8:30:  Welcome & Opening Remarks
• 8:45:  Summer Announcements
• 9:00:  Final Report by the Hiring Committee
• 9:15:  Closing Remarks

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81765931467

    Meeting ID: 817 6593 1467

    Passcode: UAIZOOM

 

Per Session Postings

Please complete THIS PER SESSION INTEREST FORM and email Kiri to let her know that you are applying for a per session position.

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